The Frontline
by defyingnormalcy
Summary: "Andrea smiled against Sharon's palm and bestowed another kiss to the inside of Sharon's delicate wrist. A comfortable silence fell between them, each woman reveling in the quiet domesticity of the moment." Established Hobbs/Raydor, mentions of S. Raydor/J. Raydor.


Sharon smiled to herself as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. The air around her had shifted and only one person could possibly be responsible. She let out a contented sigh, and closed the file she'd been poring over. She blinked a few times and her eyes watered; it had been a long day and the morning would bring with it an even longer one.

"I swear one day I will actually manage to surprise you," Andrea huffed. She walked around the couch and settled next to Sharon, securing her lover's hand in her own.

"Now don't you go and do that," Sharon mock-chastised. "I love your predictableness." She giggled at the miserable expression on Andrea's face.

Andrea scowled and kissed Sharon's hand. "Predictable isn't romantic," she said mournfully.

Sharon shook her head and smiled softly. "I don't need romantic. I need sturdy, reliable, present. And you are all of those things." Guilt settled itself low in her belly; this was the third night in a row that Andrea had woken in the middle of the night to find herself alone in their bed while Sharon tackled a stack of paperwork in the living room. And, yet, this was also the third night in a row that Andrea had approached Sharon carefully, gently, quietly, with no indication of anger or judgment in her tone or her actions.

Andrea smiled against Sharon's palm and bestowed another kiss to the inside of Sharon's delicate wrist. A comfortable silence fell between them, each woman reveling in the quiet domesticity of the moment.

Finally, Andrea gently broke the reverie between them. "It's late," she observed softly.

Another sigh escaped Sharon's lips, this one restless. "I know," she acknowledged.

Andrea tugged Sharon's hand, encouraging her to move closer. Taking the hint, Sharon shifted so that she was pressed against Andrea's side; her un-held hand and arm circled Andrea's waist.

Sharon noticed how Andrea's eyes lingered solemnly on the file folder resting on the coffee table. "They're…"

"I know," Andrea said simply.

"And how do you feel about that?" Sharon asked.

Andrea shrugged. "It's not my place to tell you what you should do Sharon. That's not why I am here. I'm here to support you in your decisions, not to force my influence on them."

Sharon considered Andrea's word carefully. "But my decisions affect you as well."

Andrea nuzzled Sharon's neck. "I just want to be with you. However that looks like, whatever it means on paper, I don't care. I just want to love you and to share a life with you."

"Even if that means being dragged through my divorce and dealing with what's bound to be a never-ending parade of nastiness from my ex-husband?" Sharon asked timidly.

Andrea cupped Sharon's jaw and swept her thumb across Sharon's cheek. "Do we get to stay together?"

"Of course," Sharon said, a little indignantly. At this point, she doubted that it was possible she could even fantasize about a life without Andrea in it.

"Then yes."

"Just like that?" Sharon teased.

Andrea chuckled. "Honey we danced around each other for years," she reminded her gently. "It's not exactly 'just like that.' But, yes, I'm sure."

"Indeed we did," Sharon agreed. "God we wasted so much time," she added.

Andrea shook her head. "We weren't ready then. And that's okay."

"You know, that's part of why I need to do this….I feel like so much time has been wasted," Sharon admitted. She tightened her hold on Andrea's waist and slipped her hand inside the cotton t-shirt covering Andrea's upper body. Her hand connected with warm, soft skin and she felt an overwhelming sense of _home. _

"And that's why I need to be here. Because you feel like you need to accomplish this, because this is a battle that you need to win," Andrea reiterated. "But," she sighed, "battles aren't won in the wee hours of the morning."

"It's late," Sharon observed.

"And the bed misses you," Andrea added.

"The bed misses me huh?" Sharon giggled.

"Your hand is up my shirt. I'm just fine," Andrea said, eliciting another giggle from Sharon, followed by a poke against her ribs.

"Well we wouldn't want the bed to get lonely," Sharon reasoned.

"Of course not," Andrea said as she helped Sharon to her feet.

Sharon cast another grim look at the file folder and Andrea could see her jaw clench and her brow furrow.

"Come on, honey," Andrea said as she wrapped an arm around Sharon and kissed her cheek. "I promise that I'll be right there on the frontline with you tomorrow. But, for now, please come to bed."

Sharon gave the folder one last glance before turning to Andrea again. She nodded her head silently, giving Andrea permission to guide her back to their haven. As Andrea scooped Sharon up in her arms and draped the sheets over their bodies, Sharon considered her lover's words again.

Within moments, the blonde fell back asleep with a serene smile on her face. Sharon brushed a lock of hair out of her face and felt her heart swell as Andrea further nuzzled the crook of her neck. Her last thought before sleep finally claimed her, was that she couldn't imagine charging into the battle ahead of her without the patient, loving, and gentle woman in her arms.


End file.
